Sustainable Living Fair in Fort Collins offers something for all

It was born before the Toyota Prius, USDA approval and Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth." A mark of environmental awareness, it grew from humble beginnings in the hearts and minds of a group of Colorado State University students more than a decade ago.

In 1999, the Sustainable Living Fair -- returning to Fort Collins Saturday and Sunday -- emerged from its pioneer gathering in the Lory Student Center basement on CSU's campus, blossoming into an event that drew over 12,000 attendees to the grounds last year.

The fair has come to include 250 exhibitors, 75 workshops and nationally acclaimed keynote speakers and musicians, complete with locally provided food and libations. But more than that, it has come to individually influence the 11,000-plus attendees who come year after year for the experience and connections the fair offers.

For Elliot Cooper, it has been a place to share a sustainable lifestyle he had indulged in for years.

A CSU graduate with a past rife with backyard gardens and an interest in local agriculture, Cooper returned from his Peace Corps trip to Ecuador enlightened and excited about new forms of fertilizer, organic growing and environmental practices.

If You Go

What: Sustainable Living Fair.

When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Legacy Park, 300 Woodlawn Drive, Fort Collins.

Cost: $8 for the day; kids under 12 enter free. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance.

Transportation/parking: Go online to sustainablelivingassociation.org for a complete map of parking. Protected bike racks will be provided at the site, and attendees are encouraged to arrive on bikes or bring them to ride from their vehicles. Handicap parking will be available, as will shuttles from parking lots assigned for the event.

More info: A full schedule of Family Planet events, keynote speakers and live musicians is available online.

And with his return to Fort Collins to complete his masters of business administration degree in 2009, he found himself holding workshops at that year's Sustainable Living Fair about what he had learned overseas.

"It has an attitude that is open and wonderful and exciting for everyone," Cooper said of the fair, now the operations manager of the event. "Sustainable doesn't mean super left wing Democrat. It comes down to what you can do to improve your life and make it less dependent on other things."

Ray Aberle, the fair's director, agreed.

"Regardless if you think of yourself as a tree hugger or conservationist, there's something for everyone," Aberle said. "You go home afterward and take the things you've seen and experienced at the fair, and apply them to your own life."

With a wide variety of hands-on workshops and exhibitors presenting at the fair, it's easy to see how those in attendance could leave knowing as much as they'd like about anything related to sustainability.

From how to create your own backyard chicken coop, to raising goats and repurposing materials during renovations, those in attendance can gain the do-it-yourself knowledge that embodies the purpose behind the fair.

For Cooper, it was about making sure people could apply their knowledge at home, gaining a freedom from outside influences that would not only help their home and family, but also the environment.

"The reason that this fair is something that can grow -- and is growing -- is because people realize they need to be independent, and can be independent," he said. "You can save money and energy, and be a better environmental steward. You feel better. You really do."

As Aberle noted, there's something for every skill level, too.

Whether a novice or expert in sustainable living, anyone could find a workshop or exhibitor that could help them meet the goals they had, Aberle said.

A family event, fair coordinators encourage parents to bring their children, recognizing the aptitude younger generations have toward environmental topics. Having grown up with this terminology, it is an age group that Aberle hopes the fair will further educate and instill sustainable appreciation in.

Within Family Planet, the kids' portion of the fair, activities and kid-friendly crafts and entertainment spread a language about sustainability that then spreads to their parents and friends.

For the adults, the Beer Garden and varied food spread promotes local vendors and breweries, feeding fair-goers while encouraging regional food consumption and purchasing.

And for those looking to get involved in something other than workshops, the Old Thyme contests allow folks to enter their baked goods, canned goods and other items for judging.

Whether it's for the keynote speakers -- speaking on topics from water conservation to organic growing and urban homesteading -- or for the live music that includes nationally-touring acts like Musketeer Gripweed, it's a fair with plenty to offer.

"It creates an energy that's hopeful, that's positive and that leaves folks feeling more connected to their community," Cooper said. "It's a celebration of home, of this place. A celebration of communities and of the culture in Northern Colorado."

Article Comments

We reserve the right to remove any comment that violates our ground rules, is spammy, NSFW, defamatory, rude, reckless to the community, etc.

We expect everyone to be respectful of other commenters. It's fine to have differences of opinion, but there's no need to act like a jerk.

Use your own words (don't copy and paste from elsewhere), be honest and don't pretend to be someone (or something) you're not.

Our commenting section is self-policing, so if you see a comment that violates our ground rules, flag it (mouse over to the far right of the commenter's name until you see the flag symbol and click that), then we'll review it.